Russian domestic and charter airline RusLine has expressed interest in two flights a day from Tallinn to St. Petersburg. So far, no agreement to the effect has been signed.

RusLine wants to operate the route with its Canadian Bombardier CRJ 100 or 200 regional jets, ERR’s radio news reported. The airline was founded in 1999, and so far has never operated routes to Estonia.

This summer RusLine is planning to also add flights on the Moscow-Riga, Moscow-Leipzig, St. Petersburg-Bergen, Moscow-Palanga, St. Petersburg-Palanga, and St- Petersburg-Vilnius routes as well.

The last company to offer flights between Tallinn and St. Petersburg was Estonian Air. According to information available to ERR, Nordica is also interested in operating the route.

Agreements between Estonia and Russia specify that flights between Tallinn and St. Petersburg can only take place if the according ministries of the two countries can agree on a carrier. Once carriers are chosen, they can then enter into the necessary agreements with the local airport operators.

According to the head of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications’ aviation and marine transport department, Taivo Linnamägi, they are aiming to reach an agreement with Russia as quickly as possible so that flights could happen already from the beginning of the summer season.

The Reform Party's parliamentary group in the Riigikogu decided on Monday to support Kalle Laanet's candidacy for the position of deputy speaker. This means that the group has turned on party chairman Hanno Pevkur, who will have to make way for Laanet. The decision follows yet another weekend of bickering and conspiracy theories inside Estonia's leading opposition party.